What's your fave albums that you wish more people knew & loved the way you do?

[markolas]

These aren't necessarily obscure artists, but the albums are some of their lesser known & appreciated:

1. Lady Sings the Blues - Billie Holiday
From 1956, this is a late-period Holiday album which mostly contains re-recordings of several of her classic songs - Good Morning Heartache, God Bless the Child, etc. I actually prefer several of the renditions here to the earlier versions (especially Good Morning Heartache and No Good Man).

2. The Glow - Bonnie Raitt
Not one of her most celebrated albums for sure, but really underrated. No, it's not as gritty as her earlier stuff, but she does knock-out versions of Sleep's Dark & Silent Gate and Your Good Thing (Is About to End). The title track is nothing short of fantastic.

3. Money Jungle - Duke Ellington
'60s collaboration between Ellington, Charles Mingus, & Max Roach. Probably my favorite Duke Ellington album that I own or have heard. Mingus is brilliant on this, IMO. Fleurette Africaine is a really beautiful song.

4. I Just Dropped By to Say Hello - Johnny Hartman
Sigh. I dunno what to say about this one. He's the only man who could take on In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning and (at least) match Frank Sinatra.

5. Smile - Laura Nyro
This was her "comeback" album after she retired in 1971. Kinda jazzy - reminds me of the music Joni Mitchell was making around this time ('76). Just beautiful. Eli & the 13th Confession gets all the raves, but I really like her later works.